839. If the proper means are employed it matters little how much competition one has. There is a way of making your work exclusive from all others, and if each photographer would apply similar methods to those which we will outline all would be able to obtain better prices and do a larger business.

840. When selecting mounts for your best work, or even for your moderate price work, do not select the regular stock mount, but have styles made expressly for your use. This works especially well where you make a special price picture and if this particular picture is meeting with favor with your trade you should have it mounted on a mount that cannot be procured by your competitors. If such a method is adopted it will not be long before each and every competitor will apply similar methods, each selecting an exclusive mount of his own, with the result that all can ask a higher price for the work, and there is no chance of comparison as to grades, by customers, for by the different styles of mounting the pictures appear entirely different, and the photographer can speak of them as original, and not as compared with his competitors' pictures of the same style.

841. This also gives an opportunity for the display of originality in the manner of putting up the work, and the photographer who uses the best judgment in his selection, in fact, he who turns out the best work, will receive the largest share of the patronage, to which he is well entitled.

842. In addition to the selection of a special style of mount, each photographer should have a certain style of picture which is characteristic of his own work. This par style should be out of the ordinary, for which he asks a good price, and it is also advisable to give this style of picture a name that is in keeping with the class of work - one that he can use in advertising - so that his customers will become so familiar with it that they will eventually call for that particular class of work.

PORTRAIT STUDY Study No. 38   See Page 582

PORTRAIT STUDY Study No. 38 - See Page 582.

R. H. Kimball

PORTRAIT STUDY Study No. 39   See Page 583 L. Jamieson

PORTRAIT STUDY Study No. 39 - See Page 583 L. Jamieson.